Silver Alerts: A Notification System for Communities with Missing Adults

Abstract

As the U.S. population ages, the prevalence of dementia will grow and communities will face the problem of older adults wandering or becoming lost. Silver Alert systems are programs designed to locate missing older adults with dementia or other mental disabilities. Such programs have been initiated in all but five states. Data collection for these programs is often minimal or incomplete. Social workers should be involved in prevention, follow up and education with caregivers, community members and law enforcement officers. When reviewing Silver Alert policy, special attention must be given to ethical concerns and protection of older adults' civil rights.

Mobile Apps for Caregivers of Older Adults: Quantitative Content Analysis

“…One serious concern for caregivers of family members with Alzheimer disease or other types of dementia is wandering by the care recipient. For example, 60% of the individuals with dementia will wander, and this can lead to dangerous consequences [ 39 , 40 ]. Five (24%) apps contained tools to address the Safety of loved ones by monitoring their movements.…”

Mobile alert app to engage community volunteers to help locate missing persons with dementia

“…The Silver Alert program, an initiative first launched in the United States in 2006, is a publicly funded notification system that broadcasts information about missing persons with dementia or other mental disabilities, to engage members of a community to assist in the location of missing persons [5]. All but five US states have this program [5]. The perceived successes of this program have led to public pressure to implement a silver program in Canada [6].…”

The sociology of missing women: Evidence from the national missing and unidentified persons system

“…A Silver Alert disseminates personal information through news sources of the missing person to the public, including vehicle and license plate information, home address, and medical conditions (Gier, Kreiner, & Lampinen, 2017). These alerts can be issued by either law enforcement or by local agencies that work with this specific population, like a physician or a concerned caregiver (Gergerich & Davis, 2017). Silver Alert activation has been found to be more prevalent in counties with a higher African American population.…”

“…However, as the only system specifically created for those who are elderly and cognitively impaired, it is important to keep the system active. For those that have Alzheimer's or Dementia, 6 out of 10 will wander off unknowingly, putting themselves at risk for bodily harm (Gergerich & Davis, 2017). Without a Silver Alert system, there would be no immediate way of alerting the public of a person that has gone missing with Alzheimer's or Dementia.…”

“…The variable Silver Alert issued was a dichotomous variable, coded for a missing person that had a Silver Alert issued for their disappearance = 1, and a missing person that had not have a Silver Alert issued for their disappearance = 0. A Silver Alert is defined previously in the chapter as an alert that disseminates personal information through news sources for missing people that are elderly or have any cognitive impairments (Gergerich & Davis, 2017).…”